Crusaders
| 05/15/25 @ Dixon | 5 |
| 05/14/25 vs Winnebago | 4 |
| 05/13/25 vs Dixon | 9 |
| 05/12/25 vs Oregon | 3 |
| 05/08/25 @ Oregon | 11 |
| + 20 more games |
The Lutheran Crusaders are taking a road trip to challenge the Dakota Indians at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Lutheran is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Lutheran came out on top against Dixon on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run third inning. The Crusaders skirted past the Dukes & Duchesses 5-3. The Crusaders haven't had any issues with the Dukes & Duchesses recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Logan Curington was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Mason Villafuerte, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
Lutheran always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .579. The last time their OBP was this high was back in March.
Meanwhile, Dakota entered their tilt with Ashton-Franklin Center on Wednesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Raiders 7-5.
Braxton Mazurkiewicz made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Dakota's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 10-2 (and 7-10 when he doesn't).
Mazurkiewicz wasn't the only one making solid contact as eight players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Braxton Niedermeier, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Brayden Larson was another, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Lutheran pushed their record up to 16-9 with the win, which was their seventh straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Dakota, their record now sits at 17-12.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lutheran has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Dakota struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Lutheran skirted past Dakota 4-3 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Do the Crusaders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Indians turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
